


Batafuraikouka

by Starrie_Wolf



Series: The Butterfly Effect [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-17
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-04-04 21:28:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4153572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starrie_Wolf/pseuds/Starrie_Wolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Worldbuilding notes for <i>The Butterfly Effect</i></p><p>Batafuraikouka（バタフライ効果）i.e. the butterfly effect</p><p>Version correct as of Chapter 11 (FF.Net)</p><p>Will be updated when I get the energy to fix the massive amounts of formatting needed (my copy of the timeline is colour-coded, for instance).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Main characters

Name: Shihōin Tsuzuki（四楓院　梅竹）

> Personal Status
> 
>   * **Birthday** : July 15
>   * **Gender** : Male
>   * **Race** : Soul
>   * **Clan affiliations** : Shihōin (29th and current Heir)
>   * **Appearance** : Shoulder-length indigo hair and mahogany eyes
> 

> 
> **Personality** : As a teenager, Ichigo was stubborn, short-tempered, strong-willed, and impulsive (Bleach Wikia). He tried to cultivate a detached and "cool" image with his perpetual scowl, but is in fact genuinely compassionate and empathetic, a trait that his close friends recognise. As a young adult baptised in the horrors of war, Tsuzuki has mellowed out and is no longer prone to overdramatic outbursts, actively seeking to modulate his outspoken, hot-headed demeanor from teenage years to prevent his rash actions from hurting anyone else he cared about. His strong desire to protect others has not waned, if anything, losing nearly everyone he has ever cared about in increasingly horrific ways has fanned this desire to even higher levels, a fact emphasised by his insistence on joining the Fourth Division upon graduation. Still stubborn and idealistic, Tsuzuki tries to temper these traits with rational thinking, and accepts that there is a time and place for everything.
> 
> Professional Status
> 
>   * **Profession** : Shinigami - Combat medic
>   * **Current affiliations** : 7th Seat of the 4th Division, member of the Onmitsukidō
>   * **Previous affiliations** : None
> 

> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Offense (100), Defense (80), Mobility (100), Kidō/Reiatsu (70), Intelligence (80), Physical Strength (80), Total 510/600
> 
>   * **Spiritual Power** : Immense; forcibly suppressed to the level of an average lieutenant by the pendant around his neck
>   * **Zanjutsu** : Master; able to comfortably take out Hollows up to Gillians class with a sealed sword
>   * **Hakuda** : Master; first trained in a conventional dojo when young, later by Urahara Kisuke and Shihōin Yoruichi
>   * **Shunpo** : Master; trained by Shihōin Yoruichi and honed by three years on the front-lines of a war
>   * **Kidō** : Uncategorised; unable to comfortably use most kidō in combat, highly proficient in selected kidō, prefers to use modified kidō that rely on reiryoku level rather than control when necessary
>   * **Intelligence** : Keen
>   * **Physical** : Enhanced strength, speed, agility and durability as befitting an elite Onmitsukidō member
>   * **Other abilities** : Budding knowledge of reiatsu-based healing techniques
>   * **Inherited abilities** : Unknown
> 

> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Yoarashi i.e. Night Storm（夜嵐）  
>       Type: Physical  
>  Shikai:  
>        **Command** : Utareru i.e. (lightning) Strike（打たれる）  
>        **Appearance** : Blade extends into a pair of wires  
>        **Known abilities** : Wires able to channel lightning, whether kidō or natural  
>  Bankai: Not yet revealed

* * *

Name: Umanose Yukimaru（馬瀬　雪丸）

> Personal Status
> 
>   * **Birthday** : July 15
>   * **Gender** : Male
>   * **Race** : Soul
>   * **Clan affiliations** : None
>   * **Appearance** : Short metallic blue hair and hazel eyes with flecks of gold
> 

> 
> **Personality** : As a Hollow, Hichigo was driven solely by primitive urges stemming from 'survival of the fittest'. After being passed on to Ichigo and merging with his latent shinigami abilities, his sole goal became to overtake Ichigo as the dominant mind in his body. After becoming an Arrancar, Hichigo gradually grew to understand the complex human emotions colouring Ichigo's memories, and finally became capable of feeling those same emotions himself upon sharing the same experience with his host. Being born in the midst of war, his emotional development had been heavily biased towards despair, grief, fury and a burning obsession with revenge. Yukimaru is fiercely protective of those he care about, a trait he had inherited from Ichigo, but his principles are more skewed than those of the once-human Tsuzuki. This has been somewhat tempered by his time spent with Masaki, who evoked the gentler emotions in him.
> 
> Professional Status
> 
>   * **Profession** : None
>   * **Current affiliations** : Rukongai East District 64
>   * **Previous affiliations** : None
> 

> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Offense (100), Defense (80), Mobility (100), Kidō/Reiatsu (70), Intelligence (90), Physical Strength (100), Total 540/600  
>  Being essentially the other half of Tsuzuki, Yukimaru has the same basic combat abilities as the other, although he chooses to utilise his skills differently.
> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Not yet revealed

* * *

Name: Shihōin Yoruichi（四楓院　夜一）

> Personal Status
> 
>   * **Birthday** : January 1
>   * **Gender** : Female
>   * **Race** : Soul
>   * **Clan affiliations** : Shihōin (22nd and current Head); Shiba (friend)
> 

> 
> **Personality** : Sometimes as playful as her alter form is known to be, Yoruichi enjoys teasing others. Being the first female leader of the Shihōin Clan, she is a very headstrong and powerful woman who knows what she wants and is not afraid to fight for it. Born in Soul Society in the midst of the upheaval during the Sengoku Period, Yoruichi has been subjected to wartime measures since her childhood, such that after she took over the position of Clan Head after the Quincy Wars she completely restructured the training regime of the Onmitsukidō. As a woman holding multiple offices of authority, Yoruichi has been subjected to so many slurs in her four centuries that she has long learnt to laugh them off. Just about the only verbal insult that can incur her wrath is someone suggesting that either of her close friends only reached their current positions due to 'personal favours', although Kisuke has repeatedly told her that he does not care what others think of him and Tessai is rarely seen in public due to the secrecy of the Kidōshū. A devastating whirlwind on the battlefield due to her legendary mastery of shunpo and hakuda, Yoruichi nevertheless is rarely sent to the front-lines as she has neither long-ranged attacks nor defensive equipment. Instead, during the Winter War she specialises in tracking and capture, search and destroy missions, or retrieval.
> 
> Professional Status
> 
>   * **Profession** : Shinigami
>   * **Current affiliations** : Captain of the 2nd Division, Onmitsukidō Commander-in-Chief, Corrections Corps Corps Commander, Executive Militia Corps Commander
>   * **Previous affiliations** : None
> 

> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Offense (100), Defense (80), Mobility (100), Kidō/Reiatsu (100), Intelligence (100), Physical Strength (100), Total 580/600
> 
>   * **Spiritual Power** : Immense
>   * **Zanjutsu** : Expert
>   * **Hakuda** : Legendary
>   * **Shunpo** : Legendary
>   * **Kidō** : Expert
>   * **Intelligence** : Keen
>   * **Physical** : Enhanced strength, speed, agility and durability
>   * **Other abilities** : Master assassin - specialises in stealth and capture
>   * **Inherited abilities** : Feline transformation
> 

> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Not yet revealed

* * *

Name: Urahara Kisuke（浦原 喜助）

> Personal Status
> 
>   * **Birthday** : December 31
>   * **Gender** : Male
>   * **Race** : Soul
>   * **Clan affiliations** : Shihōin (friend)
> 

> 
> **Personality** : Mad scientist. Genius. Lackey. Slacker. Urahara Kisuke has lived with wildly extreme but mainly disparaging labels his entire life, so much so that he has lost all interest in what others think of him. As noted by Yoruichi, he has few passions in life and even fewer things to protect, but he often goes far and beyond what is reasonable for what he truly cared about. Being wrongfully sentenced for execution and having lost nearly everything he has devoted his whole life to had hardened once-carefree man, such that the Urahara Kisuke that had left Soul Society in exile and the Urahara Kisuke that confronted Aizen a century later are two completely different people.  
>    
>  As a young child in the Sengoku Period, he was found in Rukongai by Yoruichi, eventually developing a strong friendship with her that has lasted his whole life. After discovering his untapped potential, the previous clan head permitted him to live in the Shihōin Manor for the rest of his childhood as a Shihōin foster, even going so far as to subject him to the same training regime as Yoruichi once he proved that he was capable of handling it. The duo later on took under their wing another Shihōin foster, Tsukabishi Tessai. Kisuke had once suffered from the same affliction of skewed morality most genius children developed, until he was eventually summoned by the Royal Guard. No one knows what transpired there, but it is known that he has visited Kirinji Tenjirō's domain at some point, for he installed the healing springs soon after returning.
> 
> Professional Status
> 
>   * **Profession** : Shinigami
>   * **Current affiliations** : 3rd Seat of the 2nd Division, Onmitsukidō Senior Commander, Detention Unit Corps Commander
>   * **Previous affiliations** : None
> 

> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Offense (100), Defense (100), Mobility (100), Kidō/Reiatsu (100), Intelligence (100), Physical Strength (100), Total 600/600
> 
>   * **Spiritual Power** : Immense
>   * **Zanjutsu** : Master
>   * **Hakuda** : Master
>   * **Shunpo** : Master
>   * **Kidō** : Legendary
>   * **Intelligence** : Genius
>   * **Physical** : Enhanced strength, speed, agility and durability
>   * **Other abilities** : Master assassin - specialises in stealth and capture
>   * **Inherited abilities** : None
> 

> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Benihime i.e. Crimson Princess（紅姫）  
>       Type: Kidō  
>  Shikai:  
>        **Command** : Okiro i.e. Awaken（起きろ）  
>        **Appearance** : A sleek black blade with a silver edge, the tip ending in a slanted razor-like edge instead of tapering to a point. A U-shape guard covering three inches of blade, with a flower petal design, at whose base is a red string wrapped thrice around the hilt, with a three-loop bow on the back side and a folded paper decoration on the front side.  
>        **Known abilities** :
> 
>   * Nake, Benihime i.e. Sing, Crimson Princess (啼け紅姫): destructive energy arc, can be charged for added power
>   * Chikasumi no Tate i.e. Blood Mist Shield (血霞の盾): defensive shield
>   * Kamisori, Benihime i.e. Razor, Crimson Princess (剃刀紅姫): increased penetrative power
>   * Tsuppane, Benihime i.e. Spurning, Crimson Princess (突ッ撥紅姫): cancel opponent's attack
>   * Shibari, Benihime i.e. Crimson Princess of Binding (縛り紅姫): restraints
>   * Hiasobi, Benihime, Juzutsunagi i.e. Fire-Playing Crimson Princess Beaded Mesh (火遊 紅姫 数珠繋): explosions
>   * Kirisaki, Benihime i.e. Shred, Crimson Princess (切り裂き紅姫): fires a hail of crimson energy bullets
> 

> 
> Bankai: Not yet revealed

* * *

Name: Shiba Isshin（志波　一心）

> Personal Status
> 
>   * **Birthday** : December 10
>   * **Gender** : Male
>   * **Race** : Soul
>   * **Clan affiliations** : Shiba (member); Shihōin (friend)
> 

> 
> **Personality** : Originally a branch house member, Isshin found himself completely blindsided by the position of clan head of a dysfunct clan hot on the heels of the death of the much-beloved previous clan head and the wanton destruction of his entire extended family by one man. After realising that Aizen is looking to finish the job during his mission in Naruki City, and that his two remaining family members were being held as guarantors of his good behaviour, Isshin requested the help of Urahara Kisuke and escaped to the Human World. Isshin is thus highly protective of his human family, especially his daughters after his son has grown to be able to take care of himself. He maintains a cordial friendship with Kisuke and Ryūken despite their differences. Although he had at first intended to stay out of the Winter War, it became increasingly impossible to sit back and watch his children put themselves in danger, especially Yuzu who had no idea she was in danger in the first place. After his daughters were specifically targetted and attacked, he moved his family to the Urahara Shōten and lent his skills primarily as a doctor to the war effort.
> 
> Professional Status
> 
>   * **Profession** : Shinigami
>   * **Current affiliations** : Lieutenant of the 10th Division
>   * **Previous affiliations** : 3rd Seat of the 10th Division
> 

> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Offense (100), Defense (80), Mobility (80), Kidō/Reiatsu (100), Intelligence (80), Physical Strength (100), Total 540/600
> 
>   * **Spiritual Power** : Immense
>   * **Zanjutsu** : Master
>   * **Hakuda** : Master
>   * **Shunpo** : Master
>   * **Kidō** : Master
>   * **Intelligence** : Keen
>   * **Physical** : Enhanced strength, speed, agility and durability
>   * **Other abilities** : Reasonable knowledge of human anatomy and physiology
>   * **Inherited abilities** : Unknown
> 

> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Engetsu i.e. Scathing Moon（剡月）  
>       Type: Physical  
>  Shikai:  
>        **Command** : Moero i.e. Burn（燃えろ）  
>        **Appearance** :  
>        **Known abilities** : Getsuga Tenshō  
>  Bankai: Not yet revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written in a simplified format from the one found on Bleach Wikia.
> 
>  **Battle Data** : average captain = 500, average lieutenant = 400+, average shinigami with shikai (generally senior seated officer) = 350, average seated officer without shikai = 250-350, average Academy student = 100-200 (First Class)
> 
>  **Spiritual Power** : Immense (captain-level), Great (most lieutenants), High (most seated officers)
> 
>  **Zanjutsu** : Legendary (master level and able to invent new techniques), Master (able to defeat low level Hollows up to the level of Gillians with sealed sword), Expert (able to defeat Hollows in combat using a sword; however, may prefer other modes of combat), Combatant (able to keep up in a regular spar)
> 
>  **Hakuda** : Legendary (master level and able to invent new styles or techniques), Master (able to defeat enemies bare-handed in high-level combat), Expert (not completely helpless without a sword, this is the level required of all Onmitsukidō members), Combatant (able to effectively resist when unarmed)
> 
>  **Shunpo** : Legendary (master level and able to invent new techniques), Master (able to dodge point-blank attacks not expected of others), Expert (able to skilfully dodge attacks), Practitioner (able to utilise out of combat to move faster)
> 
>  **Kidō** : Legendary (master level and able to invent new techniques), Master (able to rely solely on high level kidō in intense combat, often casting them continuously without incantation) Expert (able to use a few med or even high level kidō in combat, with or without incantation), Practitioner (able to utilise low-level kidō)
> 
>  **Intelligence** : Genius (usually scientist or inventor), Keen (good strategist, able to analyse battles and attack weak spots), Moderate (able to understand strategy when it is explained to them; however, often unable to come up with good strategies on-the-fly)
> 
>  **Inherited abilities** : Individuals born to Clans may be able to learn special techniques, or find it easier to learn certain disciplines. For example, the Kuchiki specialise in Sōren Sōkatsui and its infant form, Sōkatsui, while the Shiba specialise in Raikōhō.
> 
> The Captain Proficiency Test requires applicants to be at least Expert level for all four core shinigami disciplines: zanjutsu, hakuda, hohō and kidō.


	2. Minor Characters

**Fourth Division - Combat Medics subdivision**

Name: Nakamura Kenji（中村　薫）

> Personal Status  
>  **Birthday** : Unknown  
>  **Gender** : Male  
>  **Race** : Soul  
>  **Clan affiliations** : None  
>  **Description** : Non-descript middle-aged man.
> 
> Professional Status  
>  **Profession** : Shinigami - combat medic  
>  **Current affiliations** : 3rd Seat of the 4th Division  
>  **Previous affiliations** : Unknown
> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Offense (50), Defense (60), Mobility (60), Kidō/Reiatsu (70), Intelligence (70), Physical Strength (60), Total 370/600 **  
> **
> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Tetsuō i.e. Iron Hawk（鉄鷹）  
>       Type: Elemental - Wind  
>  Shikai:  
>       Command: Midaretobu i.e. Fly about wildly（乱れ飛ぶ）  
>       Appearance: Separates into many linked blades that hover around him  
>       Known abilities: Able to generate/direct strong wind as a protective barrier  
>  Bankai: Not yet achieved

Name: Katō Natsumi（加藤　夏美）

> Personal Status  
>  **Birthday** : Unknown  
>  **Gender** : Female  
>  **Race** : Soul  
>  **Clan affiliations** : None  
>  **Description** : Bubbly girl with brown hair gathered in a ponytail on the right side of her head.
> 
> Professional Status  
>  **Profession** : Shinigami - combat medic  
>  **Current affiliations** : 5th Seat of the 4th Division  
>  **Previous affiliations** : Unknown
> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Offense (70), Defense (50), Mobility (60), Kidō/Reiatsu (70), Intelligence (60), Physical Strength (50), Total 360/600 **  
> **
> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Not yet revealed

Name: Watanabe Kotarō（渡辺　小太郎）

> Personal Status  
>  **Birthday** : Unknown  
>  **Gender** : Male  
>  **Race** : Soul  
>  **Clan affiliations** : None  
>  **Description** : Young-looking black-haired boy
> 
> Professional Status  
>  **Profession** : Shinigami  
>  **Current affiliations** : 6th Seat of the 4th Division  
>  **Previous affiliations** : Unknown
> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Offense (50), Defense (50), Mobility (60), Kidō/Reiatsu (80), Intelligence (60), Physical Strength (40), Total 340/600
> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Not yet revealed

** Shihōin  ** **Clan - members**

Name: Shihōin Seishin（四楓院　静森）i.e. silent forest

> Personal Status  
>  **Birthday** : Unknown  
>  **Gender** : Male  
>  **Race** : Soul  
>  **Clan affiliations** : Shihōin (21st and previous Head), Hashiji (by blood, from his grandmother)  
>  **Description** : The last surviving grandchild of Yoruichi's great-grandmother, a Hashiji princess who married into the Shihōin Clan, and who helped to build the current Onmitsukidō
> 
> Professional Status  
>  **Profession** : Retired shinigami  
>  **Current affiliations** : Officially none  
>  **Previous affiliations** : Captain of the 2nd division before Yoruichi
> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Unknown
> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Not yet revealed

Name: Shihōin Katsuo（四楓院　勝雄）i.e. victorious man

> Personal Status  
>  **Birthday** : Unknown  
>  **Gender** : Male  
>  **Race** : Soul  
>  **Clan affiliations** : Shihōin (28th and previous Heir), the son of Seishin
> 
> Professional Status  
>  **Profession** : Shinigami  
>  **Current affiliations** : 4th Seat of the 2nd Division, Onmitsukidō Senior Commander, Executive Militia Corps Commander  
>  **Previous affiliations** : Unknown
> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Unknown; likely a total of 400-500 as befitting a Corps Commander
> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Keisō i.e. Strength & Resistance（勁草）  
>  \- A metaphor; literal meaning is the type of weather-resistant herbaceous plants you find in exposed areas      Type: Physical  
>  Shikai:  
>        **Command** : Kiro i.e. Execute（斬ろ）  
>        **Appearance** : A pair of moroha, a type of rare, double-edged dagger that has a diamond-shaped cross-section. The blade tapers to a point and contains a central ridge that runs to the point. This allows him to slash in either direction or stab. He holds both in a reverse grip.  
>        **Known abilities** : None  
>  Bankai: Not yet achieved

Name: Matsuoka Kotone（松岡　琴音）i.e. sound of the lute

> Personal Status  
>  **Birthday** : Unknown  
>  **Gender** : Female  
>  **Race** : Soul  
>  **Clan affiliations** : Shihōin (retainer clan member)  
>  **Description** : First encountered manning the Shihōin Storeroom
> 
>  

**People Tsuzuki meet at the Academy**

Name: Kobayashi Akira（小林　明）i.e. Little Woods, Clarity

> Personal Status  
>  **Birthday** : Unknown  
>  **Gender** : Male  
>  **Race** : Soul  
>  **Clan affiliations** : None
> 
> Professional Status  
>  **Profession** : Shinigami Academy Student, First Class, first year  
>  **Current affiliations** : None  
>  **Previous affiliations** : Unknown
> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Unknown
> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Not yet achieved

Name: Hoshino Hideaki（星野　英明）i.e. Starfield, Shining Bright

> Personal Status  
>  **Birthday** : Unknown  
>  **Gender** : Male  
>  **Race** : Soul  
>  **Clan affiliations** : Hoshino (current Heir), Nakatomi (retainer clan member)
> 
> Professional Status  
>  **Profession** : Shinigami Academy Student, First Class, first year  
>  **Current affiliations** : None  
>  **Previous affiliations** : Unknown
> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Unknown
> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Not yet achieved

Name: Himura Kaede（陽村　楓）i.e. Sunny Village, Maple

> Personal Status  
>  **Birthday** : Unknown  
>  **Gender** : Female  
>  **Race** : Soul  
>  **Clan affiliations** : None  
>  **Description** : One of Tsuzuki's classmates and a quick learner with an eye for detail, she was chosen as the First Class team leader for Human World patrols twice in a row.
> 
> Professional Status  
>  **Profession** : Shinigami Academy Student, First Class, first year  
>  **Current affiliations** : None  
>  **Previous affiliations** : Unknown  
>  **Notes** : As Kaede is permanently disabled, she can never become an active shinigami and is unlikely to be recruited.
> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Unknown
> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Not yet achieved

Name: Fujino Mikoto（藤野　尊）

> Personal Status  
>  **Birthday** : Unknown  
>  **Gender** : Female  
>  **Race** : Soul  
>  **Clan affiliations** : None
> 
> Professional Status  
>  **Profession** : Shinigami Academy Student, First Class, first year  
>  **Current affiliations** : None  
>  **Previous affiliations** : Unknown
> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Unknown
> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Not yet achieved

Name: Tachibana Masayoshi（立花　寛）

> Personal Status  
>  **Birthday** : Unknown  
>  **Gender** : Male  
>  **Race** : Soul  
>  **Clan affiliations** : None  
>  **Description** : A sixth year Tsuzuki meets on his second Human World patrol.
> 
> Professional Status  
>  **Profession** : Shinigami Academy Student, sixth year  
>  **Current affiliations** : None  
>  **Previous affiliations** : Unknown
> 
> Battle & Abilities  
>  **Battle Data** : Unknown
> 
> **Zanpakutō** : Not yet revealed


	3. The organisation of the Gotei 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Covers the formation of the Gotei 13, as well as its modern organisation.

**Soul Society before the Gotei 13**

Before the formation of the Gotei 13, Soul Society had been ravaged by centuries of war, where clans battled each other for territory and dominance. This era only ended when the intrepid Yamamoto-sōtaichō was able to gather the heads of the 5 most powerful clans at the time – the Shihōin, the Kuchiki, the Shiba, the Nakatomi and the Hashiji – as well as 8 of the most powerful individuals alive to form a tentative alliance. The success of this alliance is largely attributed to the respect each of these captains had for the other powerful fighters and their individual reasons for desiring a temporary ceasefire, which bought Yamamoto sufficient time and status to be granted leave to petition the Soul King to give his divine blessing to the creation of the Goteijūsantai (護廷十三隊), the 13 Imperial Guardian Squads of the Court.

As noted by the Quincy King Yhwach, the original Gotei 13 captains had been a “brutal mob of killers” (Bleach Wikia), which enabled them to eventually force the rest of the clans under their authority and finally unite Soul Society. The Gotei 13 eventually set up headquarters in the centre of Soul Society, in what is now known as Seireitei, although each of the Five Great Noble Clans were granted their own lands outside Seireitei.

* * *

** The Original Gotei 13 Captains 1 **

1st Division: Yamamoto Genryūsai (山本 元柳斎) i.e. Originating from the mountains, The first sacred offering beside the willow2. He was the founder of the Shinigami Academy as well as the one who brought the individuals below together to form the Gotei 13.

2nd Division: Shihōin Jinmu (四楓院 神武) i.e. Four-maple court, God-warrior. When he had been alive, he was the first emperor of Japan, whose name is now often romanticised as Emperor Jimmu. After his death, the Soul King bestowed upon him the Hōgu and the Bugu, the tools of treasure and war. With these divine tools, he was able to establish the Tenshiheisōban as one of the Five Great Noble Clans during the turbulent era of the clan wars. Later renamed the Shihōin Clan, the clan still upheld their duty of safeguarding the sacred treasures to this day. Due to Jinmu’s origins as a reincarnated instead of pure-born soul, the Shihōin practiced the fostering of gifted young children found in the Rukongai districts, of whom Urahara Kisuke and Tsukabishi Tessai were part of.

3rd Division: Nakatomi Kushinada (中臣 九氏名田) i.e. Middle subject, Renowned rice paddy in nine clans. A long line of priests and later on one of the Five Great Noble Clans, the Nakatomi claimed to be direct descendants from Ame-no-Koyane, the Chief Advisor to the Soul King. The eighth clan head, Kushinada herself had been named after Kushinada-hime (奇稲田姫), the wife of Susanoo, the youngest son of the Soul King. As a miko, Kushinada was one of the first to greatly simplify the complicated purification and restraining rituals used in ancient times, such that they could be used effectively in battle without prior preparation, with devastating results. Most of the low-level kidō listed in the standardised Book of Hundred Bakudō used today is credited to her.

4th Division: Kirinji Tenjirō (麒麟寺 天示郎) i.e. Temple of the Chinese Unicorn3, Heavenly son. He is the forefather of reiatsu-based healing and the inventor of medical kaidō, which caused one of the historical turning points of the clan wars. He currently holds the title “Hot Spring Demon” in the Royal Guard.

5th Division: Hyōsube Ichibei (兵主部 一兵衛) i.e. Chief headquarters of the army, first line of defense. As Ichibei’s name suggested, he was heavily involved in warfare, and had been bestowed the title of “one man army” as a result of his actions in the pre-Gotei-13 clan wars. Ichibei was the person who first chose the names for everything in Soul Society, including Zanpakutō, Shikai and Bankai. He currently holds the title “Monk of Perception” in the Royal Guard and commands the entire Royal Guard.

6th Division: Kuchiki Shōtoku (朽木 聖徳) i.e. Decayed wood, Saintly virtue. The sixteenth head of the Kuchiki Clan, Shōtoku came from a clan of archivists originally tasked by the Soul King to preserve the historical records of Soul Society for posterity. Due to their sacred duty, the clan had mostly stayed out of the clan wars, and by unspoken agreement amongst the other clans were permitted to remain neutral throughout most of the centuries of war. In fact, the brutal assassination of the previous clan head by the Ryōdoji heir near the end of this era was the only reason the Kuchiki had entered the war at all.

7th Division: Hashiji Toyoki (土師 豊季) i.e. Earth master, Bountiful season. One of the Five Great Noble Clans, the Hashiji clan claimed descent from one of the warriors sworn to the Soul King, and were masters of the ancient martial arts. Their techniques were the founding principles of the Onmitsukidō, which was founded several centuries later after the marriage of the second daughter of the then-head to the heir of the Shihōin Clan.

8th Division: Kyōraku Genzei (京楽 元靖) i.e. Capital of music, Peaceful origin. The fourteenth head of the Kyōraku Clan, Genzei was a laid-back man not unlike his immediate successor Shunsui, who eventually took over the captaincy of the 8th Division from his great-grandfather. Much of Shunsui’s code of honour had been inherited from Genzei, who was one of the few individuals in the clan wars era to support the idea of peace.

9th Division: Ryōdoji Manshōchiyo (龍堂寺 万勝千代) i.e. Dragon hall temple, Ten thousand victories in a thousand generations. A bloodthirsty clan, the Ryōdoji clan has always prized battle prowess above all other traits, and the only reason they had never managed to conquer Soul Society was because of the small size of the clan caused by generations of in-fighting. In fact, the Ryōdoji clan was notorious for finally dragging the neutral Kuchiki clan into the clan wars by the brutal assassination of its former clan head, causing the Kuchiki to declare blood feud upon the Ryōdoji and reduce its members to just Manshōchiyo and his wife. Around a millenium later, the Ryōdoji clan was cast out of Soul Society for attempting to incite a rebellion, and is now known as the Fallen House of Ryōdoji.

10th Division: Nimaiya Ōetsu (二枚屋 王悦) i.e. Twin houses, Joy of the king. He was the inventor of the Zanpakutō, one of the major turning points in the pre-Gotei-13 clan wars. He currently holds the title “God of the Sword” in the Royal Guard.

11th Division: Unohana Yachiru (卯ノ花 八千流) i.e. Flower of the east, Eight thousand streams. Renowned as the strongest fighter during the clan war era, Unohana was bestowed the title of Kenpachi (剣八 i.e. Sword Eight) after she singlehandedly defeated eight of the strongest fighters of the era with just her sword. After Kirinji Tenjirō left to join the Royal Guard, she took over the captaincy of the Fourth from him and renamed herself as Unohana Retsu.

12th Division: Shutara Senjumaru (修多羅 千手丸) i.e. Master of silk, The thousand-handed one. She currently holds the title “Great Weave Guard” in the Royal Guard. She invented the Shutara Scale that is still used by the Twelfth Division today.

13th Division: Shiba Yosuzaku (志波 夜朱雀) i.e. Intention of the waves, Vermilion bird4 of the night. The twelfth head of the Shiba Clan, Yosuzaku had been an unparalleled kidō master who led his clan to great victory with his invention of the kidō-based cannon, a weapon with unprecedented firepower and range. To this day, the kidō-based cannon remains the only weapon to be able to pierce the sekkiseki barrier protecting Seireitei, and is still used by the Royal Guard to return to the Soul King’s Palace. The standardised cannon-like kidō listed publically in the Book of Hundred Hadō, such as the Raikōhō and Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō, are also attributed to him. Many members of the Shiba Clan, such as Kaien, Kūkaku and Ganju, are named after birds in honour of him.

> 1 Please note that there are multiple translations possible for the canon names because every single kanji has multiple (sometimes unrelated) meanings, I’ve just picked what I felt was the most likely based on the cultural/historical significance and for a meaningful translation. The OCs are named as realistically as possible, drawing upon a variety of sources such as the posthumous names of the legendary emperors of Japan, Japanese mythology & deities, the culture of a warfare-based era, as well as the names of the current known nobility in Soul Society.
> 
> 2 Genryūsai involves the words beginning/origin, willow, and purification/sacred food/room/worship/etc. Given that this is a courtesy name likely bestowed upon him after the creation of the Gotei 13, it should carry the connotations of being a sacrosanct creation (i.e. approved by the Soul King, who is Soul Society’s equivalent of a divine being). Willow when used to describe a person often refers to the person bending but not breaking under adversity.
> 
> 3 There is no English equivalent for the mythological creature 麒麟, but multiple translators list it as “Chinese Unicorn”, I suspect because the males have a horn. Personally I think they look and behave more like wyverns than unicorns. Please Google for images.
> 
> 4 The Vermilion bird is a mythological creature that represents the element fire, the direction south, and the season summer. It appears as a bird the size of a pheasant, with a five-coloured plumage, and is perpetually covered in flames. Please note that the phoenix exists as a completely different creature in Asian legend.

* * *

_“It is noted the Gotei 13 underwent dramatic changes after the extermination of the Quincy, mellowing out in the ensuing peace, having now found a sense of justice upon discovering things to protect and treasure.”_ (Bleach Wikia)

The Quincy Massacres occurred from -218 to -201, i.e. 1783 to 1800 according to the Gregorian calendar. In the turn of the century, o ver half the ranking positions in the Gotei 13 has to be overhauled due to retirement/deaths of nearly all the previous captains/lieutenants. Nearly all the new captains/lieutenants are born in the Sengoku Era, such that they strongly desire for peace. The Gotei 13 thus undergoes massive restructuring and reshaping of values, becoming protectors. Every captain but Kyōraku Shunsui, Unohana Retsu, Ukitake Jūshirō and Yamamoto Genryūsai is new.

**The modern organisation of the Gotei 13 (-200 to present)**

The Gotei Thirteen operates on a rotating duty system, where each of the 8 non-specialised divisions (Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Tenth, Twelfth and Thirteenth) is on call for a different day of the week. Being on call means that any problems that arise are first directed to that division, regardless of whether it normally falls under their jurisdiction. For instance, a sudden Hollow attack on a patrolling squadron will prompt whichever division that is on call to send back-up, in addition to the division to whom the original patrol belongs.

In all 8 divisions, unseated shinigami are organised into nine squadrons upon joining a division. Each squadrons is led by a senior seated officer (third to eleventh seat), who is in turn assisted by a junior seated officer (twelfth to twentieth seat). There are two shifts each day, the first from 0600 to 1400 and the second from 1400 to 2200. If the Division is on call, three squadrons are on duty for each shift that day, whereas on other days only one squadron would be on duty per shift. This meant each shinigami below the rank of lieutenant is required to be on duty a total of three times every week, for a total of around twenty-four hours a week. Squadrons on duty must respond to any crises that arise within their division’s jurisdiction, but they get the rest of the day off. Off-duty shinigami report at regular work hours of 0800 to 1800 every day, with an hour of lunch break in between, and are meant to either train or catch up with paperwork.

Captains and lieutenants are required to report at regular work hours for five days a week on alternating schedules, such that there is always at least one commanding officer available in the division during work hours. If the Division is on call, both are required to be present throughout both shifts.

In serious emergencies, an alarm will sound, alerting all squadrons currently on duty in all the divisions to respond. Should the alarm persist, all off-duty members are then required to report to their superiors and await further instructions.

The five specialised divisions – First, Second, Fourth, Ninth and Eleventh – have different duty rosters.

The First Division deals primarily with managerial and administrative work, such as the logistics, budgets, filing of reports and so on. They also managed the Academy and Kidōshū, whose directors traditionally occupy the third and fourth seats. It was the only division where having a high reiatsu level is not a requirement to become a seated officer. All members of the First Division have regular working hours.

The Second Division traditionally is headed by the head of the Shihōin Clan, which also supplies a large number of the recruits. Unlike the non-specialised divisions, the seated officers are split into five commanders and fifteen Onmitsukidō squadron leaders, and the division is active 24/7. Requests to the Onmitsukidō come primarily from Central 46, other noble families, or the First Division. These will be reviewed by the lieutenant, then submitted to the captain for approval. The top five seated officers are each in charge of a different sub-division, and has three squadron leaders reporting to him or her. These five sub-divisions are the Executive Militia in charge of missions that require active combat, the Patrol Corps in charge of internal security, the Detention Unit in charge of the prisons, the Inner Court Troop in charge of relaying urgent transmissions, and the Covert Corps in charge of gathering intelligence.

> **Onmitsukidō Corps Commanders from Years -200 to -111  
> **
> 
>   * Executive Militia (missions that require active combat) – Shihōin Katsuo, Fourth Seat
>   * Patrol Corps (internal security) – Ōmaeda Marenoshin, Lieutenant (as per clan tradition, rather than actual proficiency)
>   * Detention Unit (prisons) – Urahara Kisuke, Third Seat
>   * Inner Court Troop (relaying urgent transmissions) – Shihōin Yoruichi, Captain
>   * Covert Corps (gathering intelligence) – Shihōin Yūshirō, Fifth Seat
> 


The Fourth Division is essentially the only source of medical care in Seireitei. Unseated shinigami operate round-the-clock in three shifts of eight hours each, while senior seated officers can be required to remain on call for entire days during times of heavy casualties when all qualified medics are needed to save as many lives as possible. Currently, the Fourth Seat is in charge of running the Sōgō Kyūgo Tsumesho i.e. the infirmary, assisted by two other senior officers. Another three senior officers are each in charge of one of the three shifts. The nine junior seated officers each leads a squadron, such that at any point in time there are three squadrons on duty – one in the infirmary, one on call as field medics, one doing generalised menial work in Gotei 13. It is for this last reason that all members of the Fourth Division know the layout of Seireitei, including its extensive sewer system, by heart – essential when every second of delay could mean life or death.

Field medics differ from combat medics in that they generally stay out of battle, instead setting up camp as close to the actual battlefield as possible without fear of being caught in the crossfire, and are trained to operate all the heavy equipment as well as perform delicate operations. Combat medics are the ones in charge of rushing headlong to the front-lines to rescue fallen shinigami, and therefore their repertoire comprise largely of provisional patches – many types of injury, especially blood loss, can be temporarily halted by flooding them with concentrated reiatsu – to keep severely injured shinigami alive long enough to reach the relief station. For this reason, combat medics travel very light and learn a variety of high-level kidō to replace equipment they cannot carry or do not have the time to use – stretchers, loudspeakers, even bandages...

Due to their unique situation, the combat medic division is permanently on call, similar to the Eleventh Division. They are also the only shinigami permitted to carry their zanpakutō and a jigoku-chō at all times, even if they are not at work. Should an alarm sound, all combat medics are required to report regardless of where they are and what they are doing, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. In addition, Unohana-taichō can choose to activate the combat medic division for support, should she deem it necessary, for any other combat-related alerts that come to the Fourth Division.

Since they are often required to take part in actual battle on the front-lines, rigorous physical conditioning as well as regular sparring are necessities. Although they are not required to work in the infirmary or relief station, they must familiarise themselves with their layouts, such that they will be able to quickly bring in the injured from the battlefield to the right place. They also attend all classes held for the field and infirmary medics, such that they have at least a theoretical knowledge of kaidō techniques even if they do not have the finesse to implement them.

The Ninth Division is responsible for maintaining internal security within Seireitei, and as such has four shifts of six hours each in its duty roster to avoid overworking its members. There are fourteen squadrons, each of which is on duty for two shifts a week, and members do not have to turn up for work within twelve hours of their last duty. It has been suggested though never proven that the Seireitei news magazine had been born through sheer boredom by Ninth Division members manning quiet night shifts. The two commanding officers and two top senior officers each take at least one shift a day to ensure there is always at least one superior officer in attendance at any time. Muguruma Kensei has also formed the Muguruma Commando Unit, an elite unit comprising himself and the third through sixth seats.

The Eleventh Division, being a purely combat-oriented division, do not respond well to remaining on call with nothing to do nor off-duty paperwork. Instead, all combat-related emergencies are directed to them as well as the division on call. All twenty officers are squadron leaders, whose squadrons then loudly and enthusiastically compete to kill the most Hollows. This has been deemed the most effective way of preventing excessive collateral damage within Seireitei by bored Eleventh Division members, and thus permitted to persist.

After the rise of Urahara Kisuke to captaincy, the Twelfth Division became the sixth specialised division in the Gotei.

The Twelfth Division, being the heart of research and development in Seireitei, has no duty roster. Instead, all senior seated officers are project leaders, with their own laboratories and a junior seated officer as their main research assistant. All unseated shinigami are welcome to apply to the laboratory of their interest, or to propose projects to the officers. The captain and lieutenant have their own laboratories, although due to administrative work they might not always be present. It operates akin to the scientific research professors in the Human World.

**Author's Note:**

> [I have a Tumblr if you're interested!](starriewolf.tumblr.com)


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